Fred J. Bechtel, 61, of Elkhart, passed away on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at Elkhart General Hospital.
He was born March 24, 1953 in Canton, Ohio, to Glen Earl & Dorothy Adele (Garaux) Bechtel.
On August 25, 1979, in Plymouth, he married Candace Clare Kain. She survives along with two daughters, Amanda (Jeremy) Bechtel Jones of Gahanna, Ohio, Emelie Bechtel of Elkhart; his father, Glen Bechtel of North Canton, Ohio; two brothers, Don (Donna) Bechtel of Akron, Ohio and Howard Bechtel of Canton, Ohio; two sisters, Sallie (Bill) Hoy of Warsaw, and Peggy (Joe) Toth of Akron, Ohio; numerous nieces and nephews and a sister-in-law, Judy Bechtel of Lewis Center, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy and brother, Robert.
Fred graduated in 1972 from Minerva High School and in 1978 he graduated from Grace College. He was involved with the Nappanee Missionary Church, the Elkhart Municipal Band, the Maple City Chamber Orchestra, the Faith UMC Quintet and the Nappanee Missionary Church Orchestra. He received the John Phillip Sousa Award.
Fred was employed at Brock Bins, Grace Manufacturing and Barefoot Grass Lawn Service.
He was a band director at the Lakeland Christian Academy for three years and Grace Brethren Christian Schools for 10 years. He worked from 1997 to the present in the family business, ChemStation of Northern Indiana as a driver.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday March 20, 2015, at Walley-Mills-Zimmerman Funeral Home, 700 E. Jackson Blvd., Elkhart. Additional visitation will be for 1 hour prior to the 3 p.m. Saturday March 21, 2015, celebration of life service at the Nappanee Missionary Church.
Pastor Norm Reimer will preside and burial will follow at Prairie Street Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Fred J. Bechtel Music Memorial by the Elkhart Community Foundation.
